


Acceptance

by TheSonofTartarus



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Arranged Marriage, Extinction, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Prophecy, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-17
Updated: 2021-02-17
Packaged: 2021-03-12 13:40:22
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 16,912
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29510511
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSonofTartarus/pseuds/TheSonofTartarus
Summary: All the immortals on Olympus are fading. So, Zeus forces everyone to marry, and start having children. Artemis is not happy about the decision. But what happens when Artemis starts getting feelings for Perseus, who she had chosen for a mate? And Zeus ruins everything like he always does? [Percy/Artemis]
Relationships: Artemis/Percy Jackson
Kudos: 4





	1. Chapter 1

**AN: As many of you are well aware, this is one of Fanofthehunt's books. I do not claim that I own it. Nor am I Uncle Rick, meaning that I do not own PJO/HOO.**

**Since Fanofthehunt's account got deleted, I took the liberty, and the duty, of being the saviour of all the Pertemis fans. Which means that I carefully preserved, and will be republishing several, though not all, of her books.**

**So, read on, and welcome to Acceptance, by Fanofthehunt, TheSonofTartarus republished edition.**

**_Artemis PoV_**

I sighed, wiping off the small amount of makeup Aphrodite had insisted I wear to the ball. 

My hunters had grudgingly accepted my father's decree, swearing not to kill whichever male had taken my hand in marriage by the end of the night. 

Father had promised to never force me into marriage, and of course, he couldn't follow through. 

Resigning myself to my fate, I pushed open the door, faced with every other unmarried immortal that resided within Olympus. 

After the recent wars, more and more of my peers, comrades, and even enemies within Olympus had faded, but none were reproducing. 

Anyone who had been around before the wars could see the difference. 

During gatherings, attendees had more elbow room. During festivals, the streets were less crowded. 

It was almost as though a blanket of dread had been laid out over Olympus. 

Leaving my thoughts, I pushed away the male attempting to court me. 

I vaguely remembered him as a son of Aphrodite. 

Noticing a passing tray, I snagged one of the wine glasses. 

Likely the first of many to be had that night. 

After seeing the group of suitors preparing to court me, I downed the glass and set it on another passing tray, looking to find my sister, Athena. 

I found her captivated, enraptured even, by one of the wittier minor gods of the third or fourth generation. 

Zachariah, I think. 

Turning away, I found myself encircled by several eager suitors. 

A dark-haired man with a sharp jaw and green eyes whom even I had to admit was handsome caught my eye. 

He seemed familiar, though I couldn't quite place him. 

The man took a small step forward and paused. 

I nodded slightly, and he continued forward, grabbing two glasses off a passing tray. 

Before another suitor could approach me, the handsome man had arrived, offering a drink. 

Accepting the alcohol, I moved farther from the horde of males. 

"I know I shouldn't be happy to see someone else uncomfortable during a social event," he started. "But it's nice to know I'm not the only one who dislikes the nature of it." 

I nodded. "Father believes that as long as there are gods, the era will not die out. He'll do anything to stay in power, even if it means breaking promises made to his favourite children." 

"Oh," he mumbled. "Right. Good evening, Lady Artemis." 

"I much prefer being referred to as Artemis," I interjected. "Formalities lose their meaning after the first century or two." 

"Alright," the man replied. "I'm Perseus Jackson, but everyone calls me Percy." 

"Perseus," I repeated, watching him shiver at my usage of his name. "Are you no longer dating the daughter of Athena?" 

"I'm not," he replied. "Annabeth accepted an architecture job down in California, but my mother is getting older, so I'm afraid something will happen if I leave Manhattan." 

"So you opted out of a long-distance relationship?" I questioned. 

"No," the hero remarked. "She gave me a choice between her and my mother." 

I nodded at his selflessness. 

We placed our now empty glasses on a passing tray and Perseus offered his hand. "It's getting late, so I suppose now is when I ask for your hand in marriage after half an hour of conversation and we dance until you've made your decision." 

"And what if I've already made my decision?" I asked, placing my hand in his. 

The man took my waist-something I had never allowed any to do-and pulled me close. "Then I suppose you should tell me." 

I inhaled sharply, feeling a primal instinct awaken inside me. "Yes, Perseus. You happen to be one of the few men here on Olympus I hold some respect for." 

His smile made my stomach churn, and he slipped a gorgeous ring onto my finger. 

Somehow, the man had managed to design a sleek ring that had no jewels and was in no way interfering with my ability to hunt. 

It was a simple band, but he had somehow mixed Olympian silver, celestial bronze, imperial gold, and what I believed to be Stygian iron into one design. 

We made our way to the certification station, where Hera waited with a surprised look. 

She cleared her throat. "Which place of residence will you be staying at?" 

"Mine," I replied. "And I accept his last name as my own." 

With the minimal amount of work required completed, I took my new husband's hand. 

"Incredible," he breathed as we appeared at my palace. "I've never seen anything like it." 

The only thing in my mind was how the man continued to hold my hand. 

"Oh!" Peruses exclaimed, pulling his hand away. "Before I forget, what boundaries do you have? I'm a very cuddly person, so it's important to establish those early on." 

"I'm not sure what my boundaries are with you," I replied honestly. "I always push men away, but I find myself attracted to you, and I don't know what I'm comfortable with." 

"We can go slow," he offered. "I just hope you're okay with hugs." 

Closing my eyes, I wrapped my arms around his chest and sighed contently, feeling myself being embraced. 

"Perseus," I addressed. "Thank you for approaching me when you did. I'm a powerful goddess, and I can handle my own protection, but against a group that large..." 

"You think they would've hurt you in such a public place?" He asked. 

"I'm not sure," I replied. "Several of them were stupid enough to attempt capturing one of my hunters while less than a hundred feet from the camp." 

My husband sighed. "When am I supposed to get the shovel talk from a bunch of girls that know all the ways to castrate me?" 

I couldn't help but laugh at this. "Now, if you want to get it over with." 

With a snap of my fingers, we were both in much more casual clothing. 

He released me from the hug, and we appeared at my hunters' campsite. 

It was late, so the younger girls were already sleeping. 

My elder hunters, however, were very awake. 

They wielded knives well, which seemed to unsettle my husband. 

"Girls," I addressed. "This is my husband, Perseus. I know you would rather have me unmarried, and in that sense, he was the least of all evils considering who was in attendance." 

Thalia stood and walked over, embracing him. "Long time no see, Perce." 

He smiled softly. "Sorry I haven't visited. My mom's getting older, and I don't want to leave her for long periods of time." 

"I get it," my lieutenant replied, sitting back down. "Family is important." 

My husband nodded, standing awkwardly as I began to converse with my hunters. 

**_Percy PoV_ **

"I'm not tired yet," Artemis announced, appearing back in the palace. "What would you like to do?" 

"Well," I started. "We never did make it to the dancing part." 

She smiled, pulling me toward the hall that connected her bedroom and the living room. 

I held her close, and we began swaying to the music that seemed to be coming out of the walls. 

My wife rested her head on my chest, closing her eyes. 

I noticed how her movements slowed, and eventually stopped completely. 

She was asleep. 

Gently, I hoisted her into my arms and carried her into her bedroom, tucking her in. 

As I was leaving, I felt someone looking at me and found that it was Artemis. 

I closed the door and walked back over, kneeling to face her. "Would you like me to sleep here?" 

She nodded, and I slipped into bed next to my wife, finding that she enjoyed my hugs.


	2. Chapter 2

**_Artemis PoV_ **

I awoke late in the morning with no recollection of the night after dancing with Perseus, who was now in bed with me. I sat up quickly, startling him awake. 

He yawned, covering his mouth as he did so. "Good morning, Artemis. Did you sleep well?" 

I nodded. "Perseus, what happened last night after we danced?" 

"After we danced?" The man repeated, rubbing the back of his head. "You fell asleep, so I carried you to bed, and you wanted me to stay." 

"I wanted you to stay?" I clarified. 

"Yeah," he confirmed. "I asked, and you said yes. Is this uh...is this too fast for you?" 

"Actually, no," I replied. "I thought it would be, but it feels comfortable. I've known you for less than a day, but I feel..." 

"Confused, happy, concerned, intrigued, and more confused?" He supplied. "Emotions are confusing, especially in such a strange circumstance like ours." 

"I'm glad it was you," I finished. "Not some other bachelor." 

He nodded. "So, I'm going to have lunch with my mother today. Would you be okay with me introducing you as my girlfriend? I know we're married and all, but I think she really liked me being with Annabeth." 

"Your mother doesn't know you had to choose?" I asked. 

"She doesn't," Perseus clarified. 

"I wouldn't mind at all," I answered. "But you're going to meet Apollo after that. I know you're friends, but he's very protective." 

He nodded. "Um, not to be rude or anything, but why haven't you had any sort of tantrum about being forced to marry? I've only picked up on you being irritated at your father for it." 

I laughed. "Oh, I had much more than a tantrum. The concept was passed in the Olympian council, but somehow the majority of my peers voted in favour. I spent months trying to change their minds, and I almost hunted several species of animals to extinction out of anger. After I had resigned myself to the fate of being stuck with one of my long time rivals, I replenished the animals, of course, but they may be a bit more aggressive now." 

My husband nodded, surprisingly calm, and left me to do my business. 

I took a quick shower, dried off, and threw on clean clothing before I went out to meet him. 

Hearing voices, I paused, remaining   
unseen. 

Through the reflection of a decoration, I saw that Perseus was speaking with a blonde girl via Iris Message. 

"I just heard about what was happening on Olympus," the girl said. "I'll be there as soon as possible, and we'll get married, okay?" 

"No," he replied. "It happened last night. Besides, you left me for some architecture job, and you didn't understand my reasons for staying in Manhattan. What makes you think I'd want to marry you?" 

"Because..." the girl faltered. "You're Percy, I'm Annabeth. We're Percabeth! Everyone thinks we should be together! Your mom likes us dating!" 

"I'm sorry, Annabeth," he said sincerely. "I don't love you anymore. I'm married now, and just talking to you without telling her feels like cheating. You could've just texted, you know. The whole Iris Message was a bit overkill." 

"What does she have that I don't?" Annabeth asked. "I'm the most brilliant daughter of Athena in over a century." 

"I don't feel for you romantically anymore," my husband stated. "The girl I'm married to now...she's incredible. I've only known her for a day, and I think I'm starting to fall in love with her. Please don't call me again." 

He swiped through the message and I waited a minute before stepping out so he could see me. 

Seeing how distraught the man was, I walked over and hugged him. 

"Hey," my husband mumbled. "What's this for?" 

"I like your hugs," I answered. "And you seemed sad." 

"Annabeth Iris Messaged," Perseus explained as though I didn't already know. "She wanted to come back to Olympus and marry me because she heard about what was happening. I told her it had already happened and asked her not to call again." 

I smiled lightly. "I heard." 

"And you..." he trailed off. "You heard the last part?" 

"Yes, Perseus," I replied. "I heard the last part, and I seem to share your feelings." 

He leaned over and pressed his lips to my cheek briefly. "Are you ready to meet my mother?" 

"Yes," I responded, taking his hand. 

We appeared at the front door to a large, expensive-looking apartment. 

"Wow," I said. "You must've had it nice as a kid." 

"Um, not really," Perseus rebutted. "I got my mom a place with a lower mortality rate as a little bit of the thanking I owe her after all she's done for me." 

He knocked on the door, and it swung open a few seconds later. 

There was a tall woman with greying hair. She seemed strong, but I could tell that her age was starting to catch up with her. "Percy!" She exclaimed, embracing him. 

"Hey, mom," he greeted, hugging her back. 

"I want you to meet my girlfriend, Artemis."

"Oh!" She exclaimed again, giving me the sense that her mental capabilities had begun to deteriorate. "She's very pretty." 

I smiled. "Thank you, Ms Jackson." 

We walked into the massive apartment and sat down, beginning a very long discussion. 

**_Percy PoV_ **

"She seemed very nice," Artemis remarked as we appeared back at her palace. 

"She is," I replied. "My mother means the world to me, but after Paul's death, she's just not all there anymore." 

My wife hugged me, and I pulled her close, burying my face in her hair. 

"It's alright," she said softly. "When she passes, she'll end up in Elysium, and you'll be able to visit." 

"Is meeting Apollo later and cuddling now an option?" I asked. 

She kissed my cheek, pulling me toward the bedroom. "You can always postpone things for cuddles." 

I laid down in the bed, pulling the covers up to my chin, which was over Artemis's head. 

She curled into my chest, beginning to talk. "I know my hunters didn't seem all that friendly last night, but they like you." 

"Really?" I questioned. 

"Really," my wife reiterated. "Thalia knows you, and she's said that you're a decent man, even at your worst." 

"Say we blow off Apollo," I suggested. "What would you want to do?" 

She scooted up and kissed my cheek. "Probably just stay here. It's comfortable. And safe." 

I smiled, trying to burn the memory of her lips on my cheek into my brain. 

Artemis took my left hand into both of hers. "I'm glad I was wed to you instead of anyone else." 

"Me too," I murmured, kissing her hands. 

I could've sworn I saw her blush, but it faded quickly. 

"Would you be upset if I kissed you?" I asked, resting my head next to hers. 

"I don't believe so," she replied, looking me in the eye. 

As I leaned over, what had to be the doorbell rang. 

My wife sighed, pulling away. "I'll go see who that is. Could you stay here?" 

I nodded, watching her hips sway as she walked and catching the look she gave me just before she closed the door. 

The look wasn't upset or anything of the sort. It was almost one of longing. Of need. 

Of course, this excited me, but it did so a bit much. 

I flicked my erection, wincing in pain, and repeated the process until my member had become flaccid again. 

I sighed, relieved that she hadn't seen it. Artemis returned shortly after, sitting next to my head and moving it into her lap. 

"Aphrodite wanted to seduce you." 

"I much rather be with you than her," I mumbled, hugging her leg.


	3. Chapter 3

**_Percy PoV_ **

"Apollo keeps being an idiot," Artemis complained. "He never thinks about the consequences." 

"Well, maybe you should show him an awful consequence," I suggested. 

She stood, pulling me up with her. 

I watched as she pulled out what seemed to be a makeup palette and several tools. 

"I have this for instances like this," my wife said proudly. "I'm going to make it look like you've been hitting me and go meet my brother." 

"But I don't have to hit you, right?" I clarified. 

She nodded. "Hold my wrist." 

I did as told, watching as she traced an outline. 

"Now I need you to make a fist," she instructed. 

Again, I did as told, and she brought it to her eye, tracing the hand. 

Having helped my mother with her makeup before she went to work when I was younger, I was able to help shade in the outlines. 

"That looks painful," I muttered, finishing up. 

"That's the point," Artemis said, putting away the makeup. "Do you want to come?" 

"Yes," I replied, smiling at the feeling of her lips on my cheek. 

She handed me a small white package with English writing that I couldn't read. "They're makeup removal wipes. Put them in your pocket." 

I did as instructed, and we appeared in Apollo's office. 

Leaning against the wall, I watched his reaction through a reflection in the powered off television. 

Artemis was a great actress. Apollo almost came over to fight me before she explained. 

My wife walked over as her brother sat spluttering in a chair. 

I handed her the small packet, and the cloth unfolded into a massive wipe. 

When she had finished, she threw away the used wipe and thanked me for my help in messing with her brother. 

"So..." Apollo trailed off. "This was a trick? You haven't hurt Artemis?" 

"Correct," I confirmed. "I would never hurt her." 

She held my hand, kissing my cheek. "I was lucky, Apollo. I found a decent man, but I might not have. I might have been stuck with one of my long time rivals and been defiled by force. If you had voted on my side, I wouldn't be married right now, and you wouldn't be so upset." 

With her lecture out of the way, we appeared back at her palace. 

"What would you like to do for dinner?" My wife asked. 

"I would like to cook whatever you're craving right now," I replied. 

"Think something that takes less time," she rephrased. 

"Pizza down in the mortal world?" I asked. 

Artemis responded with a hug, and we appeared at a Manhattan street,   
illuminated by street lights and storefronts. 

We walked inside and up to the register, where there seemed to be no line. 

"What would you like, sweetheart?" The young man at the counter asked my wife. 

Annoyed at this, I put an arm around her. 

"I'll take two slices of the Supreme," she replied. 

"And I'll take two slices of the Meat Lovers' pizza, but hold the anchovies. I swim with the fish as opposed to eating them," I explained. He nodded, and we sat down at our booth. 

Artemis leaned across the table and kissed my cheek quickly before pulling back. Within five minutes, our pizzas had arrived. 

"Either they weren't made fresh, or mortal technology relative to pizza has advanced greatly," she observed. 

As we ate, I noticed birds not native to the streets perched on the window sill. 

"I can see you," my wife called. "Just grab some food and sit down with us." 

A moment later, some of the mighty Olympians were in line for pizza. 

We moved to a larger booth, half-circle, with Artemis sitting at the aisle and me next to her. 

The Olympians in attendance piled in after that, having ordered some of the strangest pizzas. 

"Why would you get pineapple pizza?" I asked incredulously, looking at Aphrodite's plate. 

"It makes male semen taste better," she said. "Want some?" 

"No thanks," I declined. "I don't see anyone consuming my semen in the near future." 

"Well," the love goddess attempted. "I could change that." 

"No thanks," I repeated. "I do happen to be married at the moment." 

Hera, who appeared just for that moment, high fived me. 

That's right. 

The queen of the gods gave me a high five. 

Artemis touched my hand under the table briefly. 

"So, why are you here?" She asked. 

"We just wanted to see how you were doing with the whole marriage situation," Ares tried to lie. 

My wife snorted. "So you wanted to see whether I had bed him yet and you didn't think I could handle myself if my husband became violent." 

When there was no response, she disappeared. 

Figuring I was supposed to follow her, I grabbed the pizzas and did so. 

Artemis was angrily pacing back and forth in the living room. 

I set the pizzas down on the coffee table and pulled her into my chest. 

She hammered, cussed at, and even tried to scratch me, but I didn't let go until she'd calmed down. 

My wife drew in a shuddery breath. "Why won't they just accept me? Yes, I'm a bit strange, but so are they! What makes it so they treat me like I'm not one of them?" 

I hugged her. "Maybe it's because you have morals. Maybe it's because you're prettier. Maybe because they're just jealous." 

Artemis touched my cheek. "I'm going to take a shower. Could you draw the curtains?" 

"Yeah, sure," I complied, turning to complete my task. 

When Artemis stepped out of her bedroom, my eyes just about popped out of my head. 

She was wearing a short, silky nightgown that stopped at about her mid-thigh, which was not helping me keep my boner down. 

I, on the other hand, wore a faded shirt and pyjama pants. 

"Come," she said. "I want to show you where you'll be sleeping." 

As we walked, I tried very hard not to look at the places where the nightgown was tight or the fabric rode up. 

Everything in the room was some shade of blue, black, or silver. 

I loved it. 

When I hugged my wife, it became clear that the room wasn't the only thing I was enjoying. 

I began to apologize, but she stopped me. "Perseus, I wore this for your benefit. I'm not upset." 

"Oh," I stated. "Um..." 

"I wanted to do something scandalous," she explained. "I just..." 

"You have so much lust you want to act on but it goes against your morals to give in to those feelings so early in a relationship?" I guessed. 

Artemis nodded, burying her face in my neck. 

I held her until she'd gotten over her embarrassment. 

"Would you prefer my presence in your bed?" I asked. "I know I would. You're adorable." 

She nodded again, dozing off. I carried her back to her bedroom, gently laying her down and kissing her forehead before sliding in next to her. 

My wife, a surprisingly cuddly person, allowed me to hold her close and kiss the top of her head. 

I rocked gently back and forth, easing her to sleep. 

Yes, it was only our second night of marriage, but I could almost feel myself falling for her. She was gorgeous but not vain, intelligent but not overly prideful, and incredible but not arrogant. 

She was perfect. 

I held her just a little bit tighter as I drifted off, not wanting this to end.


	4. Chapter 4

**_Artemis PoV_ **

I awoke in what I considered to be a very compromising position, wrapped around Perseus with much of myself exposed if he were to look. But he didn't. 

My husband was awake, observing the painting of Olympus that hung on the wall behind me. "You're much more beautiful in person." 

I felt my cheeks burning. "Thank you." 

"Last night, the clothing you picked wasn't for my benefit, was it?" He asked. 

"No," I admitted. "I was testing you." 

"Did I pass?" The man inquired. 

"Yes," I replied, meeting his gaze and seeing his discomfort. "Does your chest hurt? From last night when I, um...." 

"Only a little," my husband answered. "I should be fine." 

He was lying, and I didn't need my powers to see that. 

When he sat up, he winced in pain and tried to hold in a grunt. 

"Perseus," I said calmly, sliding into his lap. "I'm going to heal you." 

He closed his eyes, leaning back against the headboard when I began to chant. 

I was able to sense the pain from the injured and dead cells. After I had located them, I was able to do whatever needed to be done in the various places where he had been bruised. 

Once all the damage had been reversed, I looked up at my husband. 

He was looking back at me with a face I couldn't read. 

The man drew me closer, so I could almost taste his lips. 

"Perseus..." I trailed off, leaning in that last tiny bit to kiss him. 

It was brief, but I enjoyed it. 

"I think we need to establish a few rules for kissing," he stated. 

"Why?" I asked. 

"Because if we don't, I'll never be doing anything but kissing you," my husband explained, drawing me in for another. 

This time, it was longer. My lips parted slightly, and he tasted me, his tongue running over every surface of my mouth. 

When he pulled away, I was left breathless. "I don't think I'll need to establish any rules." 

Catching a glimpse of the time, I sighed. "Perseus, I have a meeting in twenty minutes. I need to start getting ready." 

"Okay," he replied, letting me go. "What would you like for lunch?" 

"Um, pasta," I answered, kissing his cheek before slipping out of his arms and into the bathroom. 

I stepped into the shower, smiling like an idiot. 

Three days, and I was already falling for this man. 

I showered, dried off, and slipped on a clean set of clothes before stepping out. 

Perseus had somehow cooked breakfast in the time it took me to prepare. 

He handed me a plate with an omelette, which had everything in it. 

Surprisingly, it tasted good. 

Before I left, my husband hugged me, leaving me in a good mood for the meeting. 

**_Time skip_ **

"What does this have to do with Olympian matters?" I asked, deflecting another of Aphrodite's personal questions. 

"Well, I'm an Olympian, and it matters to me," she reasoned. 

Zeus cleared his throat. "Daughter, this information could be helpful in understanding if my plan worked." 

I sighed. "I've hugged and kissed him. We haven't had sex." 

"Do you think you'll become pregnant any time soon?" Aphrodite asked. 

"No," I replied. "That requires sex, which I don't think I'll be having for a while." 

She pouted. "You're no fun!" 

"My apologies for being concerned that you may be using your powers against me again," I snapped. 

"Again?" Apollo questioned. 

"Orion," the love goddess explained. 

"Orion," my brother repeated. "Orion was your fault?" 

Aphrodite realized she had made a mistake by telling him. "Well, um, Zeus said that if I messed with anyone who'd just gotten married, he'd ban me from the mortal world, so I wouldn't." 

While she and my brother got into a heated argument over my love life, I dismissed myself from the meeting. 

**_Percy PoV_**

Lunch was going to be great. 

The garlic bread was toasting, the fettuccini was boiling, and the alfredo sauce was simmering. 

Artemis appeared in the kitchen with a satisfied look on her face and hugged me. 

"What's got you so happy?" I asked,   
embracing her. 

She smiled. "Apollo is yelling at Aphrodite because he found out about Orion." 

I kissed her forehead. "And what is that, exactly?" 

"Aphrodite used her magic to manipulate my feelings so I would sleep with Orion," she explained. "Apollo intervened before I did. He's an asshole sometimes, but he means well." 

I nodded. "Well, lunch is about ready. Fettuccini Alfredo and garlic bread. Oh, also marinara sauce for the garlic bread." 

"Thank you," she replied, kissing my cheek. 

**_Time skip_ **

Artemis was laughing so hard, she almost snorted nectar out through her nose. 

She accepted the napkin I offered, still laughing. "That was...you really did that? How did you even get explosives at a private school for misfits?" 

"A lot of teachers are graduates from the school," I explained, taking another bite of my pasta. "Not all that great of an idea, in my opinion." 

My wife leaned over, kissing my cheek. "Probably not." 

I grabbed her waist, pulling her closer. A stupid, aggressive move, but it worked. 

She grabbed my shirt, kissing me harder. 

I held her close, and her fingers ran up through my hair. 

Her hands slipped down so her arms rested around my neck as I slid my tongue into her mouth. 

"Perseus," she whispered softly as our lips parted. "l...this is all just so...." 

"Artemis," I addressed. "It's alright if you aren't ready for this sort of intimacy. I'll wait as long as you want." 

"l..." she tried to find the right words. "I want it, but I'm nervous." 

"Don't push yourself, Moon," I chided. "Just do what you're comfortable with." 

"Moon?" She repeated. "Is that supposed to be a nickname?" 

"If you like it," I replied. 

"Okay," my wife accepted, resting her hands on my chest. 

"Do you want to cuddle?" I asked, taking her hand and kissing it. 

"It is getting a bit cold," she reasoned, allowing me to carry her to the bedroom. 

I blinked, and we were both in pyjamas. 

Fortunately, hers weren't revealing, so I didn't have to worry about an erection quite as much. 

Artemis snuggled into my chest. "Next week, there's this formal thing that I have to attend, and I was hoping you'd be my date." 

I kissed her forehead, showing the affection that she seemed to be enjoying. "I would love to. Besides, I have to make sure those suitors of yours don't keep harassing you." 

My wife smiled. "Thank you. Just, um, watch out for mistletoe. Aphrodite likes to hang them this time of year." 

"I guess I'll just have to stick with you, then," I replied, cupping her chin. 

She laughed lightly. "Aphrodite's going to hate you." 

The bell rang, and my wife sighed, pulling away. "I'll be back in a moment." 

She got out of bed and appeared in day clothes, walking out of the bedroom. 

I heard the muffled conversation before the door closed and Artemis returned, flopping down on the bed. 

"What's the matter?" I asked, taking her hand. 

"Nothing," she replied. "I just felt like flopping down. Athena popped by to ask if we wanted to join her and her husband for lunch tomorrow. I said yes." 

Artemis scooted up next to me and kissed my cheek. "You don't have a problem with that, do you?" 

"Of course not," I answered, wrapping my arms around her. "As long as I get to be with you." 

She sighed happily. "You're so sweet." 

"Would kissing you ruin the moment?" I asked, touching her cheek. 

"I don't think so," she replied softly, eyes fluttering closed. 

I leaned in, kissing her lightly.


	5. Chapter 5

**_Artemis PoV_ **

I woke up late the next morning in bed with my husband. 

And I was naked. 

Perseus was holding me close, arm draped over my waist. 

"Good morning," my husband mumbled groggily. "How are you feeling?" 

"Satisfied," I replied, kissing his jaw. "Last night was...incredible." 

He smiled. "I thought so too." 

"Perseus, we should start getting ready for lunch," I stated. 

He nodded, giving me a quick kiss before getting out of bed. 

My husband cleared his throat as he grabbed clothes from his dresser. "Last night...that was my first time, too." 

**_Percy PoV_ **

As it turns out, my wife was very happy to have me around. 

I finished getting dressed, kissing her cheek as I entered the living room. "You really enjoyed it? This isn't too fast for you?" 

"Yeah," she murmured, sipping her nectar contently. "Especially with such an attentive partner." 

I hugged her, indulging her cuddly mood. "We should get going soon." 

"Oh, um, Athena and I tell each other everything," Artemis started. "You won't mind if I tell her about last night, will you?" 

"Of course not," I replied, kissing her forehead. 

She smiled, taking my hand. "Remember, this is the first time we'll be seen out together since the marriages, so a lot of people could be staring at us." 

I nodded, and as we made our way towards the door, Athena and her husband appeared. 

"Zachariah," she said softly. "Could I have a moment with my sister?" 

"Absolutely," he replied, looking at me and nodding toward the kitchen. 

Once I was there, we began to talk. 

"What was Athena so upset about?" I asked. 

"Apparently my ex-girlfriend works as a chef there now, so she had a special plate delivered that had 'whore' decoratively displayed on it," he explained. 

"Huh," I replied. "Well, it's understandable that she'd be stressed and tired after all that's been going on. Artemis said she was alright because she'd gotten all her anger and stress out before that night." 

Zachariah pauses for a moment. "You and Artemis are actually together?" 

I nodded. "I like to think so. What about you and Athena?" 

"I'm not sure," the man replied. "She says she likes spending time with me, but it's always something to do with her library. I think it's fantastic, but I'd like to spend some time with just her." 

"Tell her how you feel," I offered. "That's supposed to work." 

Our wives walked into the kitchen and took our hands respectively. 

"So, where to?" I asked. 

Instead of being given an answer, I appeared in a booth at the restaurant. 

Artemis hugged my arm as she looked through the menu. 

Once everyone had decided what they wanted for lunch, we placed our orders and the goddesses got deep into a conversation. 

Zach and I decided we would play table football until the food arrived. 

I flicked the paper, and it almost got across. 

He flicked it, and it went over the edge. 

I flicked it, and I scored a field goal. 

He flicked it, and it landed in the bra of the waitress who was bringing our food. 

I tried very hard not to laugh. 

With the meal finished, we said our goodbyes and left the restaurant. 

They left back to Olympus, and we walked out onto the street. "It's okay with you that we're going to visit my mother again, right?" 

"Of course," Artemis replied. "She's your family." 

We stepped into the elevator and I punched in the necessary buttons to get to my mother's floor. 

My wife drew me close, pressing her lips to mine. 

I took her waist, kissing her softly as we were transported. 

She pulled away with a satisfied look as we arrived at my mother's floor. 

I rang the doorbell and stepped back, taking her hand. 

My mother, even frailer than the last time I visited, invited us inside. 

I closed the door and gave my mother a hug before bolting to the bathroom. 

When I was doing my business, I used up the entire roll of toilet paper. 

After washing my hands, I opened the cabinet beneath the sink and grabbed another roll, placing it on the holder. 

I also noticed a weird box with some really long word that I think had something to do with Latin on it. 

Sighing, I put the box back and returned to my mother and my wife, where the two were laughing away and eating blue cookies. 

I sat down next to my wife, kissing her temple before I snagged a cookie. 

"So, mom," I addressed. "How are you liking the new apartment?" 

**_Artemis PoV_ **

I bit my lip, trying to think of the best way to break the news to my husband. 

"Perseus," I said softly, taking his hand. "While you were in the bathroom, your mother and I were having a conversation about her health.

"Oh," he murmured, sitting up in he bed. "Why?" 

"Perseus," I sighed. "Your mother has some form of terminal illness that there is no cure for. She has a month to live." 

He remained silent, pulling me close and holding me as though that would make the issue go away. 

"What am I going to do?" My husband asked, breaking the silence. 

I kissed his cheek. "You're going to spend every day with your mother until she passes, and I'll be busy with my hunters, so you don't need to worry about me." 

He nodded. "I'll see you tonight?" 

I agreed, and he left. 

I took a quick shower, dried off, and dressed for hunting. 

There was a monster nest growing in size and power near my hunters' campsite. 

I appeared at my hunters' camp, greeted positively by my followers. 

"Lady Artemis!" One of the younger hunters called. "Is it true that you're   
married now?" 

I cleared my throat. "My father has declared that every immortal residing within Olympus must be wed. So, to answer your question, yes." 

"Who were you wed to?" She asked. 

"Perseus Jackson," I replied. "And yes, he treats me with respect." 

Having answered all the important questions‚ I brought the monster nest to their attention. "My senior hunters, I want you in the trees with me. My junior hunters, I want you back defending the camp with the wolves. I understand you want experience, but the nest is growing exponentially." 

They nodded and began preparing for their assigned duties. 

As I was checking my bow, Thalia came to speak with me. 

"M'lady," she addressed. "I heard you say that Percy is treating you well, but are you doing the same for him?" 

I felt my face begin to heat. "Of course. He's very kind, and I feel that I should treat him the same way." 

"Do you love him?" My lieutenant asked. 

I coughed. "What?" 

"Do you have feelings for him?" She rephrased. 

"Yes," I replied, almost certain I had a visible blush at this point. 

"Then why aren't you with him?" My sister asked maturely. 

"His mother is dying," I explained. "She has a month left, and we both feel it best for him to spend that time with her." 

With the other girls ready, we began climbing. 

Being my elder hunters, they climbed flawlessly into the canopy of the trees. 

We hopped from branches to branches until we were surrounding the nest. 

Some, with me, were lower in the trees, while some were higher up, and some were farther back. 

Quietly, I nocked, drew, and released an arrow, sending it flying through the head of a large monster. 

With that, barrage after barrage of arrows was sent flying and disintegrating the monsters. 

But then they began climbing into the trees, and we had to retreat. 

Once we had made it back to the camp, we descended from the trees and unsheathed our melee weapons. 

The younger hunters began firing arrows at the monsters in the back of what remained of the horde.


	6. Chapter 6

**_Percy PoV_ **

When I returned home from spending the rest of my day with my sick mother, I found my wife beaten and bruised, tending to herself in the master bathroom. 

"Artemis," I addressed. "What happened?" 

"The monster nest was much larger than we had anticipated," she replied, wincing. 

I grabbed the medical kit from under the sink and helped her out to the bed, sitting her down. 

My wife closed her eyes, allowing me to brush over the cuts on her face with the medical tool. 

"So, how do these work?" I asked. 

"The brush is soaked in nectar because of the healing properties," she started. "If the wound is bad, you start to look at the ambrosia and nectar mixtures or go to my brother." 

"Would yours be considered bad?" I asked. 

"Personally," Artemis replied. "I think hugs and kisses should make it all better." 

I packed away the medical supplies and pulled her up into a hug. "You're feeling alright?" 

She nodded. "My leg hurts a bit, but I can go see Apollo tomorrow." 

"Or you could just tell him now," the god interjected in the third person, appearing in the room. "Please. If I have to stitch another set of testicles back on someone today, I'm going to kill myself." 

My wife sighed, sitting back down on the bed. "Have at it." 

Apollo began pushing down on her leg and asking if it hurt. 

After a few minutes, he figured that she had dislocated one thing and fractured another. 

My wife hugged me, burying her face in my shoulder as he used his magic, which apparently hurt quite a bit. 

I held her close, sticking my tongue out at her brother when he flipped me off. 

Once the process was complete, Artemis sat up, though staying in my arms. "Thanks." 

"No problem," Apollo replied. "Just don't do whatever the Hades you did to hurt it again tomorrow." 

With that, he left, and I was alone with my gorgeous wife. 

Artemis looked up at me, kissing my cheek. 

I smiled. "Hey, um, my mom's going in for a doctor's appointment tomorrow, and she doesn't want me to go with her. Are you busy?" 

"Well, considering I won't be able to go hunting tomorrow, no," she replied. 

"I, uh, I was thinking I could take you to see the Great Barrier Reef," I suggested. "You could see a part of nature you don't usually get to." 

Artemis stood, grabbing a clean set of pyjamas. "That sounds fantastic." 

She turned to me, setting them down. "I'm going to take a shower. Would you like to join me?" 

I stood, taking her waist. "Well, that depends."

My wife touched my jaw. "Perseus, up until last night, I was a virgin goddess. Now that you've introduced me to such pleasures, I expect you to satisfy such cravings I've gotten since then." 

I took her hand and kissed it. "Is that your fancy way of saying that you're horny?" 

She blushed. "Perhaps." 

**_Artemis PoV_ **

I awoke in Perseus's arms, being kissed and cuddled. 

"Good morning," he greeted, kissing my forehead. "Good morning," I reciprocated tiredly. 

"Last night," he started. "Did you...did you mean it?" 

I pulled the cover-up to my shoulders. "Yes, I did. I love you, Perseus." 

My husband smiled. "I love you too." 

He kissed me lightly. "Do you want to start getting ready or do you want to keep cuddling?" 

I thought for a moment. "How about we go see the reef, then we get food, then go back to cuddling?" 

"Okay," my husband replied, sitting up. "How do you want your eggs?" 

"Scrambled," I answered, getting out of bed and heading to the bathroom. 

Like always, I took a quick shower. 

After drying off, I decided I would wear his sweatshirt over my normal clothes. 

When I entered the kitchen, Perseus didn't seem to have a problem with it. 

"Could you grab two plates and the bacon, please?" He asked. 

"I was wondering why there wasn't any bacon being cooked yet," I remarked, handing over the requested ingredients. 

My husband kissed my cheek. "Thank you. Breakfast will be ready in fifteen minutes." 

There was a knock on the door. "I'll get it." 

"What can I help you with, Ares?" I asked in a bored tone. 

"There are several ways you could help me, sweetheart," he said piggishly, licking his lips. 

"Perseus!" I called. "Ares wants to speak with you!" 

"Oh, so you want me to get rid of the husband for you?" He asked. "Is he incompetent in bed?" 

Perseus appeared next to me, putting an arm around my waist. "Hey, Artemis. Is Ares being bothersome?" 

I looked over at the other Olympian. "Perseus happens to be wonderful in bed." 

Then I looked over at my husband. "Yes, he is being bothersome." 

The war god cleared his throat. "You've actually gotten to sleep with her? How? I've been trying to for millennia!" 

My husband smiled insincerely. "Well, it's this little thing called she's my wife and we love each other, so I suggest you stop trying to get into her pants." 

Ares left, and I closed the door. 

Perseus pulled me toward the dining room. 

"I cooked the bacon crispy just the way you like." 

"Thank you," I said. "For the breakfast and warding off Ares." 

He kissed my forehead. "I am your loving husband."

"The others are gonna give me so much crap during the next meeting," I sighed. 

My husband hugged me. "I've got you." 

**_Time Skip_ **

"Wow," I breathed, looking at all the sea life. "This is beautiful." 

Perseus wrapped his arms around me. "I think the same thing about you every time I wake up in the morning." 

"We've known each other for a week, yet somehow I'm comfortable with you saying that," I murmured. 

He kissed the top of my head. "What about all this interests you the most?" 

"The coral," I replied. "Alright," my husband started, pointing to the coral. "The coral here can be separated into two main categories, hard and soft." 

I nodded. "Do you just know all of this because of your father?" 

"Yeah," he replied. "Anyway, of the hard coral, there are two subcategories. Zooxanthellate corals are closer to the shore, because they receive their nutrients from algae that need to photosynthesize. The zooxanthellate coral is the kind that builds reefs, so you'll be seeing a lot of that." 

Continuing to nod, I tried to differentiate between the types of coral. 

"The other subcategory of hard coral is the azooxanthellate coral, which is typically found in deeper waters," my husband continued. "They get nutrients from filtering plankton out of seawater and are less of a reef-construction coral species." 

I kissed his cheek. 

"Then there's the Wildlife," he rambled on. "Currently, there's a rare son of Poseidon visiting the reef that answers typically to Percy but to their mate, Perseus. The most complex thing this being enjoys is their pizza, while they're content with most other things, such as their relationship." 

"Well," I started. "Is this wild beast you're speaking of getting hungry after all the exploring he's done?" 

He grinned. "You're the most incredible wife I could ever have." 

"I'll take that as a yes," I remarked, leaning in to kiss him. 

My husband took my head into his hands and kissed me. 

I closed my eyes, my hands resting on his chest as we kissed. 

A familiar voice cleared their throat from behind me. "Artemis, what are you doing here?" 

Perseus broke the kiss, still holding me close. "Uh, hey, dad."


	7. Chapter 7

**_Percy PoV_ **

"So you two are married because of the laws set in place by Zeus?" My father clarified. 

I nodded. "And we love each other." 

The Olympian, confused again, nodded. "I'm just going to leave you alone." 

"One thing," I said. "Mom is dying. You should visit her within the next week at least." 

Shocked, he left. 

My wife kissed my cheek. "Will pizza help?" 

I pulled her close, and we appeared back at the same place we seemed to keep going. 

"Hi," she greeted. "We'd like a large deluxe pizza with two drinks." 

The cashier handed her the cups and I took out my wallet to pay. 

"So," the teenager said. "Any chance she's your sister?" 

"Nope," I replied, handing him the money. "She's my wife." 

I took the buzzer and sat down next to her at the far end of the store. 

She greeted me with a hug, and I responded with a kiss. I pulled her bottom lip between my teeth and began to suck lightly as my arms wrapped around her. 

Artemis moaned softly, grasping the fabric of my shirt as I nibbled on her lip. 

This continued until the buzzer went off, at which point I quickly dropped off the buzzer and grabbed the pizza. 

I sat back down next to my wife, kissing her cheek. "I love you." 

She blushed the tiniest bit. "I love you too." 

We ate in peace until an Olympian came to interrupt our lunch. 

Artemis leaned close to me as Aphrodite approached. "You go tell the cashier that she's attracted to him, and I'll tell her that you prefer scantily clad women." 

I nodded, somewhat confused, and did as told. 

The teenager, fifteen or sixteen,   
approached Aphrodite, who was now in a bikini. 

"Miss, you're exposing too much skin," the boy started. "We have some spare uniforms in the back, if you'd like." 

She followed, and I took the pizza from my wife, who was holding the drinks. 

We appeared back at her palace and put the food and drinks in the fridge. 

"I'm going to clean up," my wife informed, kissing my cheek and disappearing to the bathroom. 

I sat down on the couch, grabbing the television remote. 

Figuring she would prefer watching something silly that made her laugh today, I skipped through several genres until I found what I had been looking for. 

Wipeout. 

Artemis returned with her hair down and wearing sweatpants instead of jeans. 

I pulled her close, showering her with kisses as she sat down. "I like your hair." 

She smiled lightly, tucking herself into my chest. "Is this the show where people try getting past the ridiculous obstacles?" 

"Yeah," I replied. "Thought you would like it." 

We spent the next hour laughing that the intentional stupidity of the mortals, enjoying one another's company. 

As the next episode was loading, an Iris Message appeared. 

"Good afternoon, Hermes," my wife greeted, sitting up. "What is it?" 

"There's been a summon for the council meeting," the god supplied. 

"When?" She asked. 

"Five minutes," he replied, swiping through the message. 

I sighed, turning off the television. 

Artemis leaned over and kissed me briefly. 

"I was enjoying today." 

"Me too," I replied, hugging her. 

With that, she disappeared, and I was left with time to kill. 

Looking over at the clock, I figured that my mother was back from her appointment and went down to visit. 

**_Artemis PoV_ **

"So," Zeus continued. "The upcoming event is being held for multiple reasons. One is to see how the marriages are going, and another is to celebrate that we may be gaining new allies." 

"Another thing," Athena interjected. "Monsters are growing more powerful, so be careful of other immortals you don't recognize when in the mortal world." 

When the meeting was dismissed, Hera approached me. "Most others don't know this, but your father believes that if the first event goes well, a second may be held. If that happens, the recent marriages will be annulled, and immortals will be allowed to find a mate in the allies' group." 

"And what of the marriages where both are happy?" I asked, concerned for myself and Perseus. 

"I don't see why that would concern you, Artemis," Hera said. "This would mean you no longer need be married." 

I swallowed. "Hera, I love my husband." 

"So the rumours are true?" She asked. 

"What rumours?" I responded. 

"That you've abandoned your beliefs for a man," the queen replied arrogantly. 

"I have not abandoned my beliefs!" I spluttered. "Perseus has always been a decent male, and we happen to have the same views on many topics." 

She began to speak, but I stopped her. "Shouldn't you be happy at least one of the marriages you were so quick to push for worked out?" 

The goddess gritted her teeth, remaining silent. 

I appeared back at my palace, where my husband was playing some sort of video game. 

He paused the game and walked over, hugging me. "What's wrong?" 

"Nothing," I replied, pushing him away. 

"Hey," Perseus said, following me to the bedroom. "Artemis, something's bothering you, and I just want to help. I can't do that if you don't tell me what's wrong." 

Now I was angry with him for pushing. 

"It's not important," I said, turning away. 

The man wrapped his arms around me, refusing to let go. 

I pounded at his chest, saying awful things as he tried to soothe me. 

"Moon," he addressed softly. "Calm down. I just want to help." 

That might've worked if he hadn't said to calm down. 

I continued to swear at, pummel, and kick my husband until I tired out and no longer had the energy to be angry. This left me with a strange, hollow feeling. 

**_Percy PoV_ **

When Artemis has finished the violent portion of her tantrum, she began to cry. 

I held her, ignoring the pain in my chest as she accepted that I wanted to help. 

Eventually, she became too tired to even cry, and fell asleep. 

I carried her to the bed, laying down next to her as I drifted off. 

Later that evening, I was awoken by my wife. 

"Perseus," she said softly, running her fingers through my hair. "I'm sorry I behaved so poorly earlier." 

"It's alright," I replied, kissing her wrist. "You were concerned about something, and I shouldn't have pushed." 

Artemis bit her lip. "Zeus is thinking about annulling the recent marriages. That's what I was concerned about." 

I sat up, leaning over to grab something from my nightstand drawer. 

She stopped me when she saw the pain I was in. "You can show me later." 

My wife, just like last time, put her hands on my chest and began to chant. 

After a few moments, she stopped, and so did the pain. 

"I love you, Perseus," she whispered. "I love you too, Artemis," I reciprocated, cupping her chin and running my thumb along her cheek. 

Her eyes closed as she leaned in, and I kissed her. 

My wife's arms rested at my shoulders, fingers entangled in my hair while my hands rested at her waist. 

I slipped my tongue into her mouth, eliciting a soft moan as I ran it through every crevice. 

She tugged lightly at my hair when I pulled her lip between my teeth, nibbling gently. 

"Gods, I want you," she murmured between kisses.


	8. Chapter 8

**_Artemis PoV_ **

Perseus had his arms wrapped around me when I awoke, head rested on his chest. 

I lifted my head and saw the clothing strewn about the room before resting it down beside my sleeping lover. 

He was so handsome. 

Soft lips that tasted like nectar, a sharp jaw that I always seemed to touch, and incredible green eyes that could captivate me with just a glance. 

And yet he was so sweet to me, being loyal and respectful but fun and playful. 

"Good morning," I murmured, kissing him softly on the lips. 

"Good morning," he reciprocated, pulling me closer. "I really enjoyed last night." 

"So did I," I murmured, kissing him again. "I think it's because that one was the most passionate." 

"Probably," my husband agreed, taking my hand. "What are we doing today?" 

I thought for a moment. "You're going to spend the day with your mother, I'm going to spend the day with my hunters, and we're going to have dinner together." 

"Sounds good," he replied sleepily, kissing the spot behind my ear. 

I shivered lightly, and he chuckled, nuzzling against the back of my ear. 

"We should...start getting up," I managed, pulling away from my skilled husband. 

He sat up, stretching as I entered the   
bathroom. 

I took my usual quick shower, dried off, and slipped on a clean set of clothes before exiting to the kitchen. 

"Good timing," Perseus applauded. "Breakfast is ready." 

"Thank you," I said, kissing his cheek. "You're so good to me." 

"Well," he reasoned between bites. "I got a chance with the perfect woman, and I don't want to screw that up." 

"Perfect?" I questioned, enjoying my food. 

"Yeah," my husband said. "You're perfect, and I love you." 

Finished with my breakfast, I leaned over and kissed his cheek. "I love you too." 

**_Time Skip_ **

I smiled, watching as the young hunter shot the head clean off of the cyclops. "Well done. Your group may be ready to battle soon."

The girl smiled, running off to collect her arrows and tell her peers. 

A monster lunged at the innocent girl as she was running toward her friends, and it was dead before it hit the ground, several silver arrows sticking out of the creature's back. 

I heard the percussive footsteps of the monster horde stampeding in our direction, and so did some of the older hunters. 

We waved the junior members back to camp and assumed positions. 

"Fire at will," I commanded, sending an arrow flying. 

My elder hunters followed suit, but the monsters just kept coming. 

It was almost as though there was an endless supply of them. 

"I'm out!" One of my hunters yelled, drawing her hunting knives. 

"Don't!" I warned. "Everyone, close your eyes!" 

They did as instructed, and I jumped down in the horde of monsters, revealing my divine form. 

After what couldn't have been more than two seconds of this, I reverted to my humanoid form. 

Fine yellow dust was settling at my feet, and there were no monsters to be found. 

"Hunters," I breathed deeply, exhausted. "Open your eyes." 

Thalia was the first to the ground. "My lady, you've used so much of your power today, and it's beginning to darken." I closed my eyes, and we appeared back at the campsite where the younger recruits had been waiting. 

At this point, I was so fatigued I had trouble standing. 

"Lady Artemis," my lieutenant whispered harshly. "You must rest." 

Listening, I tried not to stumble. 

My husband appeared. "Hey, pinecone face. What's the prob-" 

He stopped, catching me before I fell. "Is she drunk or exhausted?" 

"The latter," Thalia replied. "Make sure she sleeps." 

We appeared back at the palace, and he sat me down on the couch. "I'm going to bring you nectar and ambrosia. I'll be right back." 

I curled up on the couch, slowly closing my eyes. 

"Artemis," my husband said softly, sitting down next to me. "I know you're tired and you want to sleep, but could you please eat a little bit first?" 

I nodded, feeling him kiss my cheek. 

Lazily, I opened my mouth and allowed my lover to feed me. 

He popped a square of ambrosia in my mouth, and the melty texture made it easy to swallow. 

After what couldn't have been more than ten pieces, he picked me up and started walking. 

"Perseus," I murmured sleepily. "Will you stay in bed with me?" 

"Of course, Moon," he replied, closing a door before setting me down on the bed. 

My husband tucked me in and slipped under the covers next to me. 

**_Percy PoV_ **

When I awoke, Artemis was still fast asleep. 

Her arm was rested over me, so I was able to sit up without her waking up. 

I summoned a notebook and a pencil, beginning to draw. 

To start, I made a curved line that ran across about two-thirds of the page. 

Off of that, I sprouted more and more graphite lines, not sure what I was planning on drawing. 

I drew, shaded, and smudged until I was satisfied with what turned into a happy portrait of Artemis and myself. 

She began to stir, and I set the drawing on my nightstand, willing the water to clean my hands. 

"Good morning, sleepyhead," I greeted, kissing her forehead. 

My wife mumbled something incoherent, pulling the blanket up higher. 

"How do you feel about me making breakfast and bringing it to you?" I asked. 

"I like that," she murmured, hugging a pillow tightly as I slipped out of bed. 

My wife began to drift off, and she was asleep by the time I left the room. 

I made my way to the kitchen and grabbed the necessary materials and ingredients for the traditional breakfast I was going to prepare. 

Flipping on the burners, I set down the various pans. 

In one, I cracked three eggs, which would be scrambled. 

Using another, I smeared a small amount of butter and laid down thick slices of ham to be seared. With the third pan, I set the bacon to cook. 

After scrambling the eggs, I grabbed a large glass and filled it with nectar before tending to the meats. 

I slid the cooked eggs, ham, and bacon onto the plate and poured hash browns onto the frying pan that the bacon had been cooking in. 

While the hash browns fried, I cleaned the pans that were no longer in use and put them away. 

Once the food was cooked, I dumped it onto the plate. 

Grabbing the glass of nectar and the plate of hot food, I brought them back to my sleeping wife. 

I set the plate and the glass on the nightstand before sliding into bed next to her. 

"Artemis," I started. "The food's ready." 

She groaned, and I pulled her close. "The hash browns taste like bacon." 

"I love you," my wife murmured, sitting up. I followed suit, pulling her into my lap. 

Artemis kissed my cheek before grabbing the plate and fork. "You spoil me, Perseus.' 

"I enjoy spoiling you," I replied as she dug into the breakfast. "Seeing you happy makes me happy." 

An Iris Message shimmered into existence, and I swiped through it as soon as I saw my ex-girlfriend's shocked expression on the other end. 

I held my now ticked off wife closer as she ate the rest of her breakfast. 

"Oh Iris, goddess of the rainbow, please accept my offering," I recited, tossing a drachma into a rainbow I made appear. The rainbow began to shimmer. "Lady Iris, could you possibly block all messages from Annabeth Chase to Artemis and myself?" 

A moment passed. 

"It is done," she said, the rainbow dissipating.


	9. Chapter 9

**_Artemis PoV_ **

"Could you help me with my tie?" My husband asked, fiddling with the accessory. 

I smiled, kissing his cheek. "You can be so adorable at times." 

He took my waist. "I know I probably won't be able to kiss you while we're at the event, so I was hoping I could now." 

I rested my arms around his neck, closing my eyes as our lips met. 

Like always, he tasted sweet, and his lips felt soft and warm. 

After a moment, I pulled away. "Perseus, we've had sex several times. You don't have to ask for permission to kiss me when we're alone. Besides, I think it's sexy when you surprise me." 

I blushed at having said the last bit, and he kissed my cheek. "Ready for the event, M'Lady?" 

I shoved him lightly. "Yes." The man took my arm, and we appeared in the council hall, where all major events were held. 

Almost immediately, Aphrodite found us and started flirting with my husband. 

Perseus pushed her away and took my other hand. "Care to dance?" 

I smiled, resting my hand on his shoulder. 

We began to dance, and I became painfully aware of the number of immortals watching us. 

My husband noticed my anxiousness and pressed his lips to my ear. "It's alright. I love you, and that's what should count." 

I rested my head against his chest, and we danced happily until the song ended. 

My husband snagged two drinks from a passing tray, handing me one. "That was nice." 

"Yeah," I agreed, kissing his cheek. "It was." 

An immortal from the group we were to become allies with approached. 

"Hello," she greeted. "I am Clarke of the lznota. I do not know you, but I felt it important for you to know that your love is the purest of its kind." 

"Thank you," I replied. "I'm Artemis, and this is my husband Perseus." 

"Oh!" Clarke exclaimed. "You're one of Zeus's daughters?" 

"Yes, but it doesn't amount to anything consider how many children he's had during affairs," I explained. 

"I've noticed infidelity seemed to be a major issue on Olympus," she pointed out. 

Athena came by and stuck herself into the conversation, giving me a chance to escape.

My husband pulled me into a hug, and we swayed to the music. 

Demeter approached us, and I slipped out of his arms. 

"Artemis," she addressed. "I must say I never expected you to accept your marriage." 

"I love him," I informed rashly, returning to my lover's arms. 

She left us to our own devices, and I took a sip of my drink. 

After a few minutes of talking with him, I began to feel uneasy. 

Everything became blurry at some point. "Perseus," I slurred. "I don't feel so good." 

He held me close, and everything went dark. 

**_Percy PoV_ **

We appeared at the hunters' camp, and Artemis was almost passed out. 

I waved over to Thalia, whose sleeping patterns I was beginning to question and began to explain the situation. 

"I think someone spiked her drink," I offered. "There was this event, and everyone's drunk so I didn't want to leave her alone at the palace. I have a bad feeling about my mother, and I need to go check on her." 

My cousin nodded, taking Artemis from me. I appeared at my mother's apartment building, where there were various emergency vehicles. 

There was a woman on a gurney being loaded into an ambulance. 

Going closer, I saw that it was my mother. 

"What happened?" I asked the EMT. 

"Drug overdose," he replied. "Intentional, by the looks of it. Are you the son?" 

I nodded, climbing into the vehicle with my mother. 

The doors were shut and I took my mother's hand. "Mom, I don't know if you can hear me, but I'm here. It's me, Percy. I'll be here when you wake up, because you're strong and I know you will." 

My voice cracked, and I began to choke up, so I stopped talking. 

We arrived at the hospital, and I followed them to a room that would be occupied by my mother. 

I sat down next to the bed and took her hand, trying to keep myself together as she was hooked up to several machines. 

"Mom," I whispered. "Mom, please wake up." 

It stayed like this for hours, and I felt as though my heart would explode. 

The only relief came when there was a hand on my shoulder, and I looked up to see the wife that I loved and adored standing before me. 

She sat down in my lap, holding me and accepting my tears. 

Artemis rocked me back and forth, murmuring sweet nothings until something changed. 

"Perseus," she said gently. "Your mother is awake." 

My wife shifted into another chair, and I kneeled down next to my mother. "Mom?" 

"Percy," she whispered. "You need to let me go. I love you, but I'm only mortal. You have a wife, and I expect you to treat her well." 

I nodded profusely, and she flatlined. 

Artemis pulled me away as the doctors and nurses rushed in. 

She took me back to the palace and just held me for what felt like years. 

"Perseus," my wife started. "You need to sleep." 

She put me in bed and laid down next to me, letting me hold her. 

I thought about what my mother had told me. 

Treat her well. 

Artemis was still sleeping peacefully when I woke up. 

I slipped out of bed and made a quick breakfast, bringing it back to her. 

She began to stir as I set the food down on the nightstand. 

My wife cuddled up against me, attempting to fall back asleep until she smelled food. 

She sat up, gently touching my face. "Perseus, you shouldn't have. You should be more focused on yourself right now." 

"I am," I rebutted. "Seeing you happy makes me happy. I love you, and you're all I have left." 

Artemis stopped herself from saying something and leaned forward, kissing me. 

It was short and sweet, but still incredible. 

"I love you too," she whispered, hugging me tightly. 

Sighing contently, I kissed the top of her head. "The bacon's going to get cold soon." 

My wife sat up, grabbing the plate. 

Every few bites, I would be offered a small amount of what was being eaten, to which I would explain that I had eaten while cooking. 

"Artemis?" I asked. "If your father decides to annul all the marriages, would you marry me again?" 

She set down her empty plate, nuzzling into me. "Yeah." 

I wrapped my arms around her, sliding back down under the covers. "Do you have anything planned or could we just cuddle?" 

My wife closed her eyes, resting her head on my chest. "My plan was to cuddle with you."

I kissed the top of her head. "You are the most incredible woman I could ever ask for. 

"Percy, I love you", she murmured. 

"You know, that's the first time you've called me Percy," I remarked. "It's different." 

"Good different or bad different?" My lover asked sleepily. 

"Neither, to be honest," I replied. "Usually everyone calls me Percy, but with you it's different, and I like it." 

Artemis smiled into my chest, slowly falling asleep. While she slept, I stared at the ceiling. 

Her breathing slowed, and she cuddled further into me. 

My wife's fingers began curling into the fabric of my shirt, and I wondered what she was dreaming about. 

"Perseus," she murmured softly, still   
asleep. 

I smiled, happily married to the woman I loved.


	10. Chapter 10

**_Artemis PoV_ **

I woke up later in the evening and found my husband was still asleep. 

He was holding me close, smiling in his sleep. 

A signal went off in my head, informing me of a meeting called by my father. I sighed, leaning over to kiss him. 

Perseus awoke, and I pulled away. "I have to go." 

He pulled me closer. "Don't be too long." 

I smiled. "I won't." 

Slipping out of bed, I changed into clean clothing. 

My husband watched, and something about that turned me on. 

I pushed that thought away and appeared at the meeting, somehow one of the first to arrive. 

Athena turned to me. "This is likely just a debriefing of the dance from two days ago." 

"Two days?" I clarified. "I thought it had only been one." 

My sister shook her head, and I thought back, wondering how it could possibly have been two days. 

Zeus appeared, and the meeting began. 

"To start," my father began. "The Iznota thought the dance went well. They are a very powerful group, so I believe it best to annul the recent marriages here on Olympus and encourage the immortals to mingle with those from the other pantheon." 

"The more connected they are, the more difficult it will be for them to harm us without harming themselves," Athena summed up. 

"Does anyone object?" My father continued. 

I was the only one to raise a hand. "What is to happen to any marriages that have been thus far successful?" 

"They shall still be annulled," Zeus supplied. "While on that topic, I add that marriages within this pantheon be prohibited for the next five years to allow for easier integration." 

I remained silent, knowing I wouldn't be able to have my way. 

The King of the gods moved onto lesser topics, and I tuned him out as with most meetings. 

After what felt like years, the meeting was dismissed. 

I appeared back at my palace, losing my composure and choking on a sob. 

My former husband appeared in front of me, holding me tightly. 

"Shhh," he comforted, rubbing my back. "What's the matter?" 

I swallowed hard, pulling away. "The marriages have been annulled, and nobody within the pantheon is to marry another within the same for the next five years." 

I slipped the ring off my finger and held it out for him to take. 

Perseus took the ring and put it in his pocket. 

Then he took my hand and got down on one knee. "Artemis, will you be my girlfriend?" 

I nodded, hugging him tightly as he stood. 

"What was there to be concerned about?" My boyfriend asked, holding me close. 

"I was afraid you would leave," I replied guiltily. 

"Artemis," he chided softly. "I'm the god of Arts and Loyalty. I'm in love with you. I'd never leave you." 

I closed my eyes, pressing my face to the crook of my lover's neck. 

"Would the Chicken Parmesan I made while you were in the meeting make you feel any better?" He asked, stroking my hair. 

"Yeah," I murmured. "Food is always a good option." 

We went into the kitchen, where he grabbed the plates, I grabbed the drinks, and the utensils floated out to the table. 

My boyfriend set the plates down and moved his chair next to mine. 

"I'm going to do everything within my power to prevent you from developing any feelings of abandonment," he explained upon seeing my questioning look. 

I set down the drinks and sat down, smiling lightly at the feeling at the leg pressed against my own. 

"This food tastes incredible," I complimented. "Probably your best yet." 

I proceeded to finish my food completely and begin attacking his. 

My former husband, who I finally understood ate when he cooked, slid his plate over to me. 

"What are you smiling for?" I asked through a mouthful of heavily breaded cheesy goodness. 

"Because I'm with the woman I love," he replied flatteringly. 

**_Percy PoV_ **

"What the Hades did you do to my sister?" Apollo bellowed, jolting Artemis and me out of sleep. 

She rubbed her eyes. "Well, he made me dinner, then we had sex, and then we cuddled." 

"You've slept with him?" Her brother clarified. "As in you've broken your oath?" 

"No," my girlfriend replied. "I swore never to have sex with someone I wasn't married to, and father's decree didn't go into effect until about five minutes ago." 

"Father will be hearing about this," Apollo snapped threateningly before he left. 

Artemis laid back down and kissed my cheek. "What should we do today?" 

I pulled her close. "I had actually been hoping we could go hang out with your hunters today. Maybe I could get them to like me a little more before they find out we're not married anymore." 

"The younger hunters really seem to like you," she offered, cuddling against me. 

"Why are we up so early?" I asked, looking over at the clock. 

"Because my brother decided he was going to make sure I was capable of handling myself at six in the morning," my girlfriend replied. 

She sat up. "My hunters probably aren't awake yet. We could go down and make breakfast for them." 

"You think they'd like that?" I asked. 

"I think they'd love that," Artemis remarked. "Gives them time to sleep in." 

"Would I be correct in assuming that they aren't comfortable with PDA?" I continued. 

"Yeah," she answered. "I happen to enjoy the affection though, so feel free to show it when we're alone." 

"Just a random thought," I started. "Would being married in the mortal world fulfil the requirements of your oath?" 

"I think it just might," Artemis agreed, getting out of bed. 

Sighing, I followed suit and grabbed a clean set of clothes from the dresser. 

Looking up, I saw the way she gazed at me and set the clothes on the bed. 

My girlfriend stifled a moan, wrapping her arms around my neck as I kissed her. 

"Do you think we could get married today?" She asked breathlessly. "We can visit my hunters tomorrow." 

I pulled away for a moment, grabbing our rings and a thin, silver chain from my nightstand. 

Delicately, I laced the chain through the ring and snapped a clasp on the end. "Since you won't be able to wear the ring on your finger for a while, you could wear this around your neck." 

Artemis kissed my cheek. "You can be brilliant at times." 

I took her hand, and we appeared in Las Vegas, Nevada. 

"Why aren't we in Manhattan?" She asked, hugging my chest. 

"Because so many people get married while drunk here, Hera won't notice that we're the ones getting married," I reasoned, leading her over to where the efficient was waiting. 

**_Time Skip_ **

My wife sighed contently, laying back in bed after another round of love-making. 

I pulled her close. "Satisfied?" 

"For now," she teased, kissing my cheek. I smiled. "I love you." 

"I love you too," my goddess murmured, cuddling against me. "I'm sure my hunters will accept you. You're everything I've said men should be." 

"Really?" I asked. "You've said men should be so in love with their wives that it almost hurts when you're away, and that men should be totally and completely overdramatic." 

It took Artemis a moment, but she laughed her beautiful laugh once she understood. 

"Well," she chuckled. "I've said that men should be respectful, kind, and treat others fairly. That you are so passionate just happens to be a benefit I allow myself to indulge in." 

My wife closed her eyes, resting her head on my chest. "Good night, Perseus." 

"Good night, Artemis," I murmured, holding her close.


	11. Chapter 11

**_Artemis PoV_ **

I awoke early in the morning, wrapped around my husband. 

He groaned in protest when I roused him, but my lips on his brought silence quickly. 

"Artemis," he grumbled in a raspy morning voice. "Mornings are meant for sleeping." 

"And making breakfast for my hunters so they'll like you," I reminded, kissing my lover's cheek. 

He sat up pulling me into his lap. 

My husband took my face into his hands, and mine came to rest lazily on his shoulders as he kissed me. 

It was always spectacular, getting lost in the bliss that was his kisses. 

He was warm, sweet, and soft, yet powerful and dominating at the same time. 

"Perseus..." I murmured breathlessly as he pulled away. The man pecked my lips. "I got the feeling your hunters wouldn't appreciate me doing that in front of them." 

"Probably not," I agreed, getting out of bed. 

He sighed, doing the same. 

As I clothed myself, I felt his gaze on me again. 

I bit my lip and pushed the thought aside, knowing that being in such a mood while with my hunters was never good. 

My husband took my waist. "Ready to go?" I kissed his cheek. "Yeah." 

We appeared in the kitchen area of my hunters' campsite, which was conveniently positioned to give us privacy. 

"So, what do they like to eat for breakfast?" He asked, getting out several pans, bowls, and plates. 

I chucked. "They like everything, Perseus. I can help you with cutting fruit, but that alone will take quite a bit of time." 

He turned on the stove and set to work on the five different kinds of eggs he would be making. 

I speared the last piece of fruit with the kebab stick, setting it on the rack with the others. 

My husband kissed my cheek, giving me a quick hug before the hunters began to rise. "Thank you for letting me do this." 

I smiled, stepping back slightly as I heard the approaching footsteps of my followers. 

"Lady Artemis," Thalia greeted. "What's all this?" 

"Perseus wanted to do something nice for you all," I explained, glancing over at him. 

While my elder hunters sat down to eat with me, the much younger ones decided they wanted to play with my giant of a husband. 

As I dug into my waffle, I watched his gentle interaction with the younger hunters and tried to hide my smile. 

He would make a great father, and I was certain about that, but it didn't seem like the right time to become pregnant. The man sat down next to me, snagging a bite of my waffle as my hunters left to prepare for the hunt. 

"Where are they going?" He asked. 

"Perseus, we're going to eliminate another monster nest," I explained. "I am taking all but my youngest hunters with me." 

He glanced around quickly, making sure none of the elder hunters was around before he kissed my cheek. "Be safe." 

"I will," I replied, pushing my unfinished waffle toward him. 

With that done, I made my way to my tent and began to prepare. 

After zipping up the flap to my tent, I changed into clothes more appropriate for hunting. 

Then, I slipped on my perfectly shaped hunting boots and slung my quiver over my shoulder, grabbing my bow. 

I unzipped the tent flap and whistled for the wolves, watching as they bounced out from the forest to meet me. 

My hunters gathered, and I went over the plan one last time before we executed it. 

**_Percy PoV_ **

Ayesha, a little four-year-old with the gift of clear sight was asleep on my shoulder after I had calmed her from a nightmare. 

The other young huntresses were sleeping, and nobody else had returned. 

I caught movement in the corner of my eye, and a few moments later I saw injured hunters helping one another back to the camp. 

"Where's Lady Artemis?" I asked Naya, handing Ayesha to her. 

"She stayed with the other hunters who weren't incapacitated," the huntress explained. "They'll be back soon." 

I nodded, sitting down at one of the dining tables and muttering healing spells in Greek. 

Soon turned out to be less than ten minutes, because the remaining hunters appeared with my wife in the centre of the camp. "Join hands! They have reinforcements, and they're coming for the camp!" 

The hunters scrambled into position, and everything appeared in bags or disappeared. 

We appeared in Camp Jupiter, and I had to catch Artemis to prevent her from falling face-first into a pile of elephant dung on the Field of Mars. 

"I'll bring her home," I told Thalia, who had taken charge. "She hasn't been giving herself enough time to rest after using massive amounts of power, so it might be a little while." 

My wife did her best to cling to me, lacking the energy to stand on her own, much less care about her reputation. 

We appeared back at her palace, and I sat her down in a large, comfortable chair. 

I kneeled next to my lover, taking her hands. "Would you like me to get you cleaned up, or do you just want to sleep?" 

"Sleep," she murmured, closing her eyes. 

I carried her to the bed and snapped my fingers, cleaning us both and changing us into pyjamas. 

Artemis curled up among the many pillows, happily accepting my embrace after I pulled the covers up. 

I was awoken by her nimble fingers tracing my facial features. 

Shifting, I took her hand and kissed it. "Good morning, Moon. Sleep well?" 

My wife nodded, scooting closer and kissing my cheek. "I had a pleasant dream, too." 

"What was it about?" I asked courteously. 

She smiled softly. "We were together, and my family accepted it, and we had a child." 

I kissed her forehead. "Do you want a baby?" 

"Yes," my lover replied. "I want to spend the rest of my immortal life with you, and I want to have children with you, and I know it's soon, but I think you want it too." 

"That's fantastic," I remarked. "I feel the same, but to have a baby with this whole potential alliance might not be a great idea." 

Artemis looked away for a moment before nodding. "I understand." 

"Hey," I said, kissing her forehead. "I really do want what you want, but it's just not the right time to have a child. What if we made a sort of compromise?" 

My wife looked up at me, lacing her fingers with mine. "What did you have in mind?" 

"I'd been thinking a puppy," I explained. "It's easier than caring for a child, and the puppy won't be emotionally damaged if I have to leave for however long." 

She chose to ignore the last part. "When would we get the dog?" 

"After you take a look at how I rearranged things for the dog last night while you were sleeping," I provided. 

Artemis pecked me on the lips. "I love you." 

"I love you too," I reciprocated, sitting up as she got out of bed. 

Once she was gone, I got up and went to my dresser, snagging a clean set of clothes and changing. 

As I was grabbing a sweatshirt, I heard her calling for me. 

I rushed out to the living room, saw a standoff between Artemis and Apollo, and assumed my place next to Artemis. 

"What's the matter?" I asked, putting on my sweatshirt. 

"Nothing," my wife replied, hugging me. "Apollo thought you left, and I felt like proving him wrong." 

I wrapped her in my embrace, kissing the top of her forehead. "I'm ready to go to the shelter when you are." 

"What shelter?" Apollo asked. 

"I wanted children," she started. "Perseus pointed out that it may not be a good idea considering you hate him and are trying to separate us, so I've settled for a puppy for now."


	12. Chapter 12

**_Artemis PoV_ **

The look on my brother's face when I told him I wanted children was priceless. 

I was still giggling when we got to the adoption shelter. 

Perseus held my waist, kissing the top of my head. "Do you have a particular pup in mind?" 

I walked over to an adorable puppy. "This girl is pretty cute." 

The volunteer worker approached. "This is a fantastic dog. She's a nine-week-old Albino Neapolitan Mastiff that is somehow extremely well trained. Unfortunately, because of how large mastiffs get to be, nobody has wanted to adopt her." 

I looked up at my husband and he nodded. "We'll take her." 

I picked up the dog, who laid contently with her head on my shoulder. "Is there paperwork we need to fill out?" 

"Yes, but your husband already took care of that," the volunteer replied, nodding toward Perseus. 

"How did you know I'd pick her?" I asked on the way out of the shelter. 

"Gut feeling," he replied. "What were you thinking about for a name?" 

I thought for a moment. "Blizzard." 

We appeared back at the palace, and I set Blizzard down to explore her new home. 

Perseus pulled me toward the couch, planting kisses all over my face as we watched her roam. 

He took my face into his hands suddenly, and crashed his lips into mine. 

I made a sound of surprise but didn't pull away. 

My fingers found a firm grip on the fabric of my husband's shirt, and he continued to kiss me. 

I made a sound of protest, pulling away at the sound of the doorbell. 

Perseus sighed, moving to get the door. 

While he was doing that, I sat down on the floor and Blizzard wandered over to me. 

"Have you enjoyed exploring your new home so far?" I asked, rubbing the spot a little behind her ears. "I hope so, Blizzard." 

My husband returned, my fellow Olympian goddesses in tow. 

He sat down next to me on the floor, kissing my cheek and petting the puppy. 

"What brings you all here?" I asked, looking up from the adorable dog. 

"Apollo said that you had grown too attached to Perseus after your marriage was annulled," Hera explained. 

I began to speak, but Athena interrupted me. "Get away from the monster, Artemis." 

"Perseus isn't a monster," I snapped. "I love him."

"I'm not referring to Perseus," she replied. "The animal is a monster." 

"No, she's not," I defended. "She's an Albino Neapolitan Mastiff." 

"She's the product of reproduction between a Hellhound and some mortal beast," my sister explained, growing impatient. "If you don't believe me, summon your weapon. The beast won't like it." 

I did as she suggested, and sure enough, the animal leapt away from me. 

Athena snapped her fingers, and the animal was gone. 

Perseus sighed, pulling me close. "Maybe we should've gotten the German Shepard." 

I kissed his cheek. 

Apollo appeared. "What is so difficult about telling her they can't see each other anymore?" 

"Excuse me?" I interjected. "You can't tell me what to do." 

"You're right," my brother amended. "I can curse Percy though." 

He muttered an incantation, and suddenly my lover was doubled over, bleeding heavily. 

"The curse details that if he is within a hundred feet of you, he will feel the pain of a thousand arrows, and if he is within five feet of you, he will bleed as though punctured by a thousand arrows," Apollo explained. 

Perseus disappeared, and the others had a few minutes ago, apparently. 

I swore at my brother, lunging at him, but he disappeared as well, leaving me to crash into a cement wall. 

With the force, I had launched myself and my unpreparedness for impact, I broke my arm. 

I hissed in pain, grabbing it. 

Looking at the severity, I decided I would need help from my hunters. 

Appearing at the camp, I neglected to greet my followers and headed straight for the medical tent. 

"Lady Artemis," the huntress greeted. "How may I help you?" 

"Stacy, I need you to heal my arm," I replied. 

Knowing by now not to ask questions, she set to work. 

**_Percy PoV_ **

When Apollo cursed me, I chose to appear on the Canadian side of the border between Canada and Alaska. 

Over my years as a demigod, I learned that petty curses such as the one he had placed on me had no effect in the wilderness of Alaska. 

Don't ask me how I knew this, because it's a long story. 

I decided that I would build a cabin in Alaska, and I'd be able to be with my wife again. 

With nobody around, I summoned a massive blue truck equipped with everything I would need to navigate the wilderness. 

After that, I summoned the material I would need for the frame of the house. 

I also summoned a large U-Haul type trailer, loaded with everything else I would need. 

It would be a lot of work, but if I built nonstop, I would be able to get it done faster. 

After driving for several hours, I found the perfect spot, a clearing by a frozen lake, surrounded by a forest. 

While I was in the process of unloading material from the truck, my phone began to ring. 

I set down the boards and accepted the incoming call. 

"Perseus, are you alright?" She asked. 

"Oh, yeah, I'm fine," I replied. "I just thought that the curse wouldn't be in effect in a place where gods can't use their powers, so I'm building a cabin in Alaska." 

"What are your coordinates?" My wife continued. 

After I had given her the long string of numbers, I added a request. "If you come down here, could you bring a few bags of cement?" 

"Sure," she obliged. "I should be there in a couple of hours."

The call ended, and I finished moving the wooden boards. 

After this, I grabbed my shovel and set to work on digging out space for the foundation. 

Surprisingly, the difficult part was getting the water to stay in the liquid form long enough for it to mix with the cement powder. 

Of course, it was difficult to dig a deep, wide hole in the ground that had been frozen solid the past month or so. 

After mixing the water and the cement powder, I had to make sure that the wooden post didn't shift, which happened to be a difficult task when rendered mortal. 

When I was holding the third post in place, waiting for the cement mixture to dry, I was able to hear the engine of what had to be an incredibly fast car with Artemis driving it. 

Once the cement had set, I put the remainder of the materials I had out back in the trailer and stood by the truck, watching her vehicle approach. 

It was silver, which I couldn't help but chuckle at, and I couldn't tell the model of sports car other than that it was foreign. 

She pulled up about ten feet away from my truck and shut off the engine before opening her door. 

Once she was out of the car, I walked over and hugged her tightly. 

Artemis wrapped around me, and I lifted her off the ground, carrying her to my truck. 

I was thankful that the backseats of the truck had been replaced with a bed and a shelf was built in. 

My wife nuzzled against me, pressing her face to my neck as I clambered into the back seat. 

She closed the door and began trying to pull off her gloves. 

I chuckled, taking her gloved hands and starting to undo the Velcro.


	13. Chapter 13

**_Artemis PoV_ **

I woke up in bed with Perseus, which I seemed to have been doing a lot of in the past weeks. 

He held me close under the thick blanket, kissing me softly. 

I smiled as he pulled away. 

"Perseus," I started. "How does your phone have a connection out here?" 

"Good morning to you too," he teased. "I have a signal booster in the trailer." 

"I love you," I expressed, kissing his cheek. "But I need to get going." 

My husband sighed, stretching out and grabbing the clothes I had thrown toward the front of the car the night before. 

I dressed quickly, ensuring I was able to snag his sweatshirt. Perseus pouted teasingly until I pointed to one of the many hoodies I had stolen from him. 

He pulled me against his clothed chest. "When do you think you'll be back?" 

"Less than a week," I replied softly, knowing how much he would hate it. 

"A week?" My lover clarified. "As in up to seven days?" 

I kissed him. "I love you. I'll text you once I'm back on Olympus, alright?" 

He sighed, kissing me lightly. "I love you too."

Before he said something romantic and made me stay, I slipped out of his arms and got into my car, driving off. 

**_Athena PoV_ **

When Artemis didn't respond to my texts or calls, I began to worry. 

I appeared in the living room of her palace and heard what couldn't be anything other than someone getting sick in a bathroom. 

Swiftly, I drew a blade and walked to the master bathroom, finding that it was my sister getting sick in the bathroom. 

I sheathed my dagger and crouched down beside her. "It's alright, dear. I've got you now." Artemis nodded, collapsing against me. 

I wiped her mouth and propped her up against the bathtub, quickly braiding her hair. "Why are you ill? Have you not gone to see Apollo?" 

My younger sister shook her head. "I'm not taking his help until he removes the curse he put on Perseus." 

I sighed, summoning a cool glass of nectar, which she gladly accepted. "Did you drink too much?" 

"No," she argued. "I haven't had alcohol since the last event." 

I paused for a moment. "Did you forget to use a protection spell when consummating with Perseus?" 

My sister's face drained of colour. "He's in Alaska, and I visited him. The condom...it was intact when we were finished. I can't be...." 

"Mortal protection is not one hundred percent effective," I scolded. "Artemis, you're pregnant with his child." 

She paled further. "Perseus said he didn't want children yet. What do I do?" 

"Nothing at the moment," I suggested. "I'll take care of everything, alright?" 

Almost simultaneously, the other Olympian goddesses appeared and began to comfort her. 

Artemis was the youngest of us, and we looked out for her. 

It's what family does. 

"Aphrodite," I summoned. "You're coming with me to tell Apollo she's pregnant so you can charm him if he becomes violent and unreasonable." She nodded, and we appeared in his office. The sun god stood. "I had a dream this would happen, but I thought it was erotic, not prophetic." 

I slapped him. "Your sister is pregnant and she can't be with the father because you're such an unreasonable asshole. This is not the time for jokes." 

Apollo just stared, holding his cheek. After a long silence, he was able to string together a sentence. "She's better off without him. I'll just terminate the baby next time I see her." 

"You will not," I hissed, drawing my blade. Apollo held his hands up in surrender. "Alright. I'm still not going to remove the curse, though." 

Uneasy, I sheathed my blade. 

"Artemis must go to Alaska and be with Perseus," I said, appearing in her living room. 

My sister was panicking, which was understandable considering she was immortal and it was her first child. 

The other goddesses, offering their comfort and knowledge after going through the experience, nodded. 

Her phone pinged, and everyone stopped to look. 

I had this strange sense that we were   
becoming mortal for a moment. 

"Perseus asks that she come to see how his cabin has progressed," Demeter read aloud. 

"That is some strange sex talk right there," Aphrodite remarked. 

I sighed. "That wasn't sex talk, you whore. He's likely in the process of building a self-sustaining cabin so he can live there." Gently, I nudged my younger sister. "Go." 

She nodded, disappearing. 

**_Artemis PoV_ **

I hid the unopened box of pregnancy tests in the glove box of the car before pulling up to what had become a half-built house. 

Perseus ran over, greeting me with a hug. "How are you feeling?" 

I nuzzled against him, closing my eyes and pressing my face to his neck. 

My husband held me tighter. "You alright? I can show you everything later." 

I breathed deeply. "No. I want to see it now."

He seemed concerned but nodded, taking my hand. "I drove up to a convenience store, and these guys asked what the trailer was for. We got to talking, and they're helping me with the house. When it's done, they'll take the trailer." 

My lover took me up to the house, wrapping his arms around me from behind. "There'll be the kitchen, the bedrooms, bathrooms, living room, dining room, swimming pool...." 

He went on and on. 

I bit my lip. "Perseus, do you think you could make the nursery a priority?" 

"Of course," he replied. "Anything for you. Just, why?" 

"Do you remember last night?" I asked, pulling away to look at him. 

"Yeah," the man responded obliviously. 

I looked down at the snowy ground. "The condom didn't work. I'm pregnant, and Apollo wants to kill the baby, so I was hoping to stay here with you." 

He held me close. "I love you, and I'll love the baby no matter how they turn out. You'll stay here with me and we can probably get Athena to deliver the baby." 

"So everything's going to be okay?" I asked quietly. 

My husband kissed my forehead. "Everything's going to work out just fine. I promise." I sighed, relaxing immensely as he held me. 

The god led me back to his truck, having me sit in his lap. 

"How long will your pregnancy last?" He asked, taking my hands. "I want to have everything ready for us to move in before the baby is born." 

I sighed. "I'm not sure, Perseus. Typically, goddesses can choose to have the baby whenever they please. Since you were born a demigod and then turned to a full god, it's supposed to be random." 

"What do you think we should name the baby?" He continued, looking me in the eye. 

"I have no idea," I replied. "It's all just happening so quickly, and I don't know if I'm going to be a good mother." 

My husband squeezed my hands. "You're going to make an incredible mother. You sponsor a group of kickass girls, so I'm pretty sure we can handle a baby." 

I leaned in, closing my eyes as I brought my lips to his. 

He let go of my hands, pulling me closer. 

I wrapped my arms around my lover's neck, enjoying the tenderness of the kiss. 

"I love you so much," Perseus breathed between kisses. "And if I could just sit here forever and kiss you, I would, but I need to get back to work on the house."


	14. Chapter 14

**_Percy PoV_ **

I grunted, shoving the stove into its designated spot in the almost finished kitchen. 

My wife walked in from the garage, carrying boxes of takeout from the closest diner. 

She set the food down and embraced me, resting her head on my chest. 

"Good afternoon, Artemis," I greeted. "How are you feeling?" 

"Good," she replied, hugging me tighter. "I'm just shocked you were able to get this all done." 

I kissed the top of her head. "I can't believe you're having our baby." 

She sighed. "The food is going to get cold soon if we don't eat it." 

I grabbed utensils from the newly installed drawers and took the food to the dining room, setting everything down. 

Before my wife could, I pulled the chair out. 

Artemis kissed my cheek. "You're so sweet."

I smiled, taking her hand. "Remember, whatever happens, I'll be right here with you and the baby."


	15. My Other Works

Here are the other works by me, that is, TheSonofTartarus. Vote, comment and follow!

1\. Olympian Transformer  
2\. The Sea's Serpent  
3\. Percy Jackson the God  
4\. The Date  
5\. The Arranged Marriage  
6\. Let Them Think That  
7\. Just Friends  
8\. Random Percy Jackson One-Shot Shit  
9\. A Hero Enslaved  
10\. Banished  
11\. Pertemis One-Shots  
12\. The Moon's Lover  
13\. Vengeance  
14\. Acceptance  
15\. Isolation  
16\. Her Touch  
17\. When the Moon Got Amnesia


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